Cornet-valve.



C. G. CONN. CORNET VALVE. APPLICATION FILED Nov. 11, 191s.

Patented 891115.29, 1914.

i These bearing surfaces around the valve oricasing as are not absolutely necessary to prerTED sTATEs PATENT oEErCE.

. CHARLES G. CONN, or ELKHART, INDIANA.

CORNET-VALVE.

1,112,120, Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Sept, 29, 1914,

Application filed November 11, 1913. Serial No. 800,361.

To all whom it may Concern:

Be it known that I, Cr-rAnLEs citizen of the United States, residing at Elkhart, in the county of Elkhart and State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Cornet-Valves, of which the following is a specification.

lVhile for the purpose of illustration, I have shown my invention in connection wit i the finger key valves of the cornet, it will be understood that it is applicable to keys of all types of wind brass musical instruments.

IIeretofore all pistons manufactured for use in valve brass musical instruments have had their bearings ground'throughout their length, notwithstanding the fact that a large per cent. of they bearing between the piston l sectional area than the cross sectional area of the main body of the piston. Around each port in the piston I form a bearing surface or area. 'Ihe cross sectional diameter of the piston through these port bearing areas or surfaces is the same as the cross sectional area through the piston at each en thereof through the bearing surfaces l1 so that the bearing surfaces around the ports and the bearing surfaces at each end of the piston stand in relief with reference to the main body of the piston, whereby the frictional contact between the piston valve and the casing which usually surrounds such valve is reduced to a minimum, because the only frictional bearing between the piston and its casing is with the bearing surfaces i at each end of the piston and the bearin Gr. Conn, a

and its casing might be eliminated without surfaces or areas around the ports throug in any way affecting the air tight bearing the piston. It has been found by experinecessary between the piston and its casence that I can reduce the frictional Contact ing. In instruments of this character it is only necessary that such parts of the piston valve as protect the orifices or ports through the valve from leakage need have a bearing surface with the piston or valve casing.

between the valve casing and the piston valve, as above explained and as shown in the drawing, without affecting the quality or volume of tone of the instrument, and at the same time, produce an instrument which is much easier to play.

I have made valves according to my invention by covering such surface of the piston valve as I desire to use for a bearing surface with a gum varnish. The 4reduction of the diameter of the uncovered portions is then made by etching the eXposed metal surface to such depth as may be deemed necessary. The depth of the reduction made, however, need not be very great. part of an inch is all that is necessary, an I believe is better than a deeper indentation. @f course, the reduction in diameter of the uncovered portions of the piston can be made by a routing machine or any other tool adapted for that purpose, but I believe that the etching process gives better results.

What I claim is 1. A valve for brass wind musical instruhaving infices or ports in the piston are absolutely necessary as otherwise the valve would leak and cause the instrument, to play hard. Further, such leakage would be injurious to the quality or volume of tone.

My invention consists in relieving bearing surface of such parts of the valve piston from frictional contact with the valve vent the valve from leaking and this is done by diminishing the cross sectional area o" the piston at all points except through the bearing areas around the ports and at the ends of the piston.

In the drawings z-Figure 1 is an elevation of a valve piston for a cornet with its casing in section; Fig. 2 is a cross sec-tional view on the line 2f2 of Fig. 1 showing the greater cross sectional area; Fig. 3 is a cross sectional view on the line 3-15, Fig. 1, showingthe less sectional' area of the piston', Fig. 4 is a vertical central section through the piston on the line L-Li, Fig. 1.

The reference numeral 1 designates a finger key, `2 the piston valve carried thereby and 3-the ports or orifices formed transversely therethrough as is usual of valves of this character. At` each end of the piston ments, comprising a valve casing let and outlet openings for the tubing of the instrument, a piston valve having air ports to register with the said openings in the casing, bearing areas formed at the ends of the piston and bearing areas formed aroun said ports of the piston, whereby the piston is of the same cross sectional area at its ends and at the said bearing areas around the ports, said areas forming a'part of a cyl inl drical surface, the remaining portions o the bearing surfaces 4; are of greater cross depressed below said cylindrical surface, whereby the cross sectional area of the pist0n at said remaining portion is less than at surface being depressed below Said cylindrical surface Wherebly the cross sectional area of the piston is ess at said remaining portion than at the ends. the said bearing areas.

5 2. A linger key valve piston for brass The foregoing specllication signed at Elk- Wind musical instruments, having ports hart, In this twenty-first day of October, therethrogh, bearing areas surrounding 1913. said ports and bearing areas at CHARLES G. CONN.

' In presence of` E. RICHARDSON,

piston, said areas forming a part of a PAULINE WILLIAMS.

the exterior cylindrical surface, the remaining portions of the exterior surface of the piston being 009ml d this )stent may. be obtained for ve cents each, by Washington, D. G."

addressing the Commissioner of Patenti, 

